The present invention relates in general to novelty educational devices for children and particularly to an interlocking novelty educational puzzle apparatus.
While a myriad of novelty educational devices have been developed over the years, several of which involve "puzzle"-type configurations such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,604,127; 1,477,322; and 3,290,798; few, if any, of such devices address a novelty puzzle apparatus for use in a mathematical or alphabetical presentation which is both physically and design restrictive in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Such a double-restrictive puzzle capable of manifesting a "problem" for solution along both of two dimensions can greatly benefit young children or even adults with mild retardation or learning disabilities, while providing yet additional puzzle "clues" to prompt the user to the only correct solution.
Clearly, such visual devices can greatly aid in teaching mathematical, reading or art skills. Hence, the present invention has as an object the display of mathematical equations or spelling exercises when fully assembled.
The present invention also has as an object the use of a plurality of restrictive features that enable assembly of the puzzle only when correct problems and correct answers are appropriately arranged.
A further object of the present invention is to provide numerical and alphabetical "equations" in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction so as to enable the user to work with a maximum number of educational exercises which simultaneously control the overall construction so as to provide a puzzle that is restrictive as to both problems and answers in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide color coding of the vertical columns of numbers or letters so as to provide yet another clue to the user as to correct solutions of the equations displayed on the puzzle, while at the same time teaching color combinations.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide numerical or alphabetic equations that provide clues to both the elements of certain colors and the result of their combination.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a puzzle apparatus that requires a minimum amount of prior familiarity with the techniques needed to solve it, so as to allow users of all ages or intelligence levels to use it by relying upon a plurality of physical and design restrictions for solution thereof.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification and drawings.